Northward younging zircon fission‐track ages from 13 to 2 Ma in the eastern extension of the Kathmandu nappe and underlying Lesser Himalayan sediments distributed to the south of Mt. Everest

This study is concerned with the tectono‐thermal history of the Kathmandu nappe and the underlying Lesser Himalayan sediments (LHS) that are distributed in eastern Nepal. We carried out zircon fission‐track(ZFT) dating and obtained 16 ZFT ages from the eastern extension of the Kathmandu nappe, the Higher Himalayan Crystalline, Kuncha nappe, and the Main Central Thrust (MCT) zone. The ZFT ages of the frontal part of the Kathmandu nappe range from 13.0 ±0.8 Ma to 10.7 ±0.7 Ma and exhibit a northward‐younging tendency. These Middle Miocene ZFT ages indicate that the frontal part of the Kathmandu nappe remained at a temperature above 240 °C until the termination of its southward emplacement at 12–11 Ma. The ZFT ages of the LHS range from 11.1 ±0.9 Ma in the southern part of the Okhaldhunga Window to 2.4 ±0.3 Ma of the augen gneiss in the northern margin and also exhibit a northward‐younging age distribution. The ZFT ages show the northward‐younging linear distribution pattern (?0.16 Ma/km) along the across‐strikesection from the frontal part of the Kathmandu nappe to the root zone, without a significant age gap. This distribution pattern indicates that the Kathmandu nappe, the underlying MCT zone, and the Kuncha nappe cooled from the frontal zone to the root zone as a thermally united geologic body at a temperature below 240 °C. An older ZFT age (456.3 ±24.3 Ma), which was partially reset at the axial part of the Midland anticlinorium in the central part of the Okhaldhunga Window, was explained by downward heating from the “hot” Kathmandu nappe. The above evidence supported a model that southward emplacement of the hot Kathmandu nappe resulted in a thermal imprint on the upper part of the LHS; however, the lower part did not reach 240 °C.     

Distribution and source of heavy metals in the surface sediments from the near-shore area,north Jiangsu Province,China

Samples of surface sediment and vibrocore were collected in the near-shore area of north Jiangsu Province for grain size, elements, ²¹⁰Pb_excess and ¹³⁷Cs analyses. In our study area, the diversity of metal concentration was controlled not by the grain size, but by the source. The element content of the old Yellow River Delta was used as baseline for our study area. Geoaccumulation indexes indicate that no station was polluted by Cu, Pb, Zn and As, but the I_geo values of As were close to zero in some stations. Slight pollution caused by Cd was observed in some stations. Correlation and enrichment factors suggest that Cu, Pb and Zn are lithogenic in origin, while As and Cd are mixed in origin. Especially, in some polluted stations Cd was obviously anthropogenic in origin.     

Tidal effect on dynamics of pore water nitrate in intertidal sediment of a eutrophic Estuary

To evaluate the effect of the tidal cycle on the pore water nitrate dynamics in intertidal sediment, concentrations of inorganic nitrogen in water and sediment were monitored during tidal cycles in the mud flat of Tama Estuary, Japan. During submergence, nitrate concentration was highest in the overlying water and decreased monotonically with increasing depth in the sediment, suggesting that the primary source of nitrate in the sediment was nitrate transported from the overlying water. Pore water nitrate decreased remarkably during the initial 3–4 hours after the onset of exposure. Thereafter, it was constant or slightly increased until tidal flooding.In situ accumulation of nitrate at the end of exposure, however, did not exceed the nitrate concentrations in the overlying water. The inhibition of nitrate reduction and the stimulation of nitrification would explain the change of nitrate concentration, both consistent with the input of oxygen into the sediment following a 10 mm drop of the water table. In Tama Estuary sediments, the effect of the tidal cycle on the removal of combined nitrogen is rather negative, because high nitrate concentrations in the overlying water canceled the positive effect of nitrate accumulation by nitrification during exposure, while tidal oxygen intrusion have an inhibitory effection sedimentary denitrification.     

Seasonal Study of Methane and Nitrous Oxide in the Coastal Waters of the Southern Baltic Sea

Atmospheric and dissolved methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) were measured in the unique coastal ecosystem of theBoddenwaters, including the western Oder estuary, (southern Baltic Sea) during five campaigns between 1994 and 1997. The CH₄saturations, ranging from 105–15 500%, showed great spatial and temporal variability with maximum values in September and minimum values in December. The N₂O saturations were in the range of 91–312% with a maximum in March. Enhanced concentrations of both gases were observed only in the western Oder estuary near the mouth of the Peene River. Thus, we conclude that the distributions of CH₄and N₂O in the investigatedBoddenwaters are, directly or indirectly, linked to the Peene River runoff and not to the Oder River. Our estimate of the annual CH₄emissions from theBoddenwaters to the atmosphere indicates a significant contribution (c. 17%) to the overall CH₄emissions from the Baltic Sea. In contrast, theBoddenwaters represent only a small source for atmospheric N₂O.CH₄production rates estimated from sediment slurry experiments revealed a significant spatial variability and indicated that methanogenic activity was related to acetate consumption in the surface sediment layer. Sedimentary CH₄production might depend on different amounts of accumulation of organic material.     

胶州湾沉积物中有机硫来源及成因机制的研究

有机硫是海洋沉积物中重要的硫形态,其中成岩有机硫对有机质保存和微量元素形态具有重要影响。利用化学提取及硫稳定同位素研究了胶州湾沉积物中碱可提取的腐殖酸硫(HA-S)、富里酸硫(FA-S)以及铬不可还原有机硫(non-CROS)的垂直分布、来源及形成机制。结果表明,non-CROS、HA-S以及FA-S的含量范围分别为19.1~52.6、3.35~7.82和27.3~38.6μmol/g,均处于其他许多近海沉积物中含量的低值区,且3者均为海洋生物有机硫和成岩有机硫的混合物。HA-S和nonCROS以海洋生物有机硫为主,其份数分别为65%~68%和67%~77%,而FA-S则以成岩有机硫为主(54%~73%)。相对于生物有机硫,成岩有机硫更易被碱和酸性Cr(Ⅱ)溶液提取,因此腐殖质硫和non-CROS都不能全面反映沉积物中有机硫的组成和来源。黄铁矿和腐殖质中成岩有机硫含量随深度的同步增加表明黄铁矿形成并未明显地竞争性抑制有机质硫化。     

Large-scale depositional characteristics of the Ulleung Basin and its impact on electrical resistivity and Archie-parameters for gas hydrate saturation estimates

Gas hydrate saturation estimates were obtained from an Archie-analysis of the Logging-While-Drilling (LWD) electrical resistivity logs under consideration of the regional geological framework of sediment deposition in the Ulleung Basin, East Sea, of Korea. Porosity was determined from the LWD bulk density log and core-derived values of grain density. In situ measurements of pore-fluid salinity as well as formation temperature define a background trend for pore-fluid resistivity at each drill site. The LWD data were used to define sets of empirical Archie-constants for different depth-intervals of the logged borehole at all sites drilled during the second Ulleung Basin Gas Hydrate Drilling Expedition (UBGH2). A clustering of data with distinctly different trend-lines is evident in the cross-plot of porosity and formation factor for all sites drilled during UBGH2. The reason for the clustering is related to the difference between hemipelagic sediments (mostly covering the top ∼100 mbsf) and mass-transport deposits (MTD) and/or the occurrence of biogenic opal. For sites located in the north-eastern portion of the Ulleung Basin a set of individual Archie-parameters for a shallow depth interval (hemipelagic) and a deeper MTD zone was achieved. The deeper zone shows typically higher resistivities for the same range of porosities seen in the upper zone, reflecting a shift in sediment properties. The presence of large amounts of biogenic opal (up to and often over 50% as defined by XRD data) was especially observed at Sites UBGH2-2_1 and UBGH2-2_2 (as well as UBGH1-9 from a previous drilling expedition in 2007). The boundary between these two zones can also easily be identified in gamma-ray logs, which also show unusually low readings in the opal-rich interval. Only by incorporating different Archie-parameters for the different zones a reasonable estimate of gas hydrate saturation was achieved that also matches results from other techniques such as pore-fluid freshening, velocity-based calculations, and pressure-core degassing experiments. Seismically, individual boundaries between zones were determined using a grid of regional 2D seismic data. Zoning from the Archie-analysis for sites in the south-western portion of the Ulleung Basin was also observed, but at these sites it is linked to individually stacked MTDs only and does not reflect a mineralogical occurrence of biogenic opal or hemipelagic sedimentation. The individual MTD events represent differently compacted material often associated with a strong decrease in porosity (and increase in density), warranting a separate set of empirical Archie-parameters.     

Geological information from telecommunications cable route surveys of the continental shelf

Several burial assessment surveys using a seabed plough have been carried out along routes on the United Kingdom continental shelf to assess their potential for cable burial. Detailed information on sediment thicknesses and characteristics within the top meter of the seabed was collected using a survey tool called the Plough Surveyor. Geophysical surveys along these routes have enabled correlation with the plough data. Results include the range of tensions, tension trace characteristics, and typical penetration, and these have been correlated with seabed types and thickness of sediment.     

南黄海沉积物中活性铁氧化物对有机碳的保存作用

土壤和沉积物中活性铁对有机质的吸附对有机质具有长期稳定和保存作用,从而在地质时间尺度上缓冲大气CO₂浓度。本文利用连二亚硫酸钠还原性溶解提取活性铁氧化物（FeR）及与之结合的有机碳（Fe-OC）,定量研究了南黄海沉积物中FeR与OC之间的结合方式以及FeR对OC的保存作用,讨论了深度增加对二者相互作用的影响。结果表明,南黄海沉积物中Fe-OC占沉积物总有机碳的份数（f_Fe-OC）为（13.2±7.47）%,即活性铁对OC的年吸附量为0.72 Mt,占全球边缘海沉积物TOC年埋藏通量的0.44%。Fe-OC的平均OC:Fe为4.50±2.61,表明共沉淀作用对有机质的保存起重要作用,且其比值随海源有机质含量增加而增加。Fe-OC稳定碳同位素（δ13C_Fe-OC）结果表明,FeR优先保存活性有机质,但这种选择性随OC:Fe增大而减弱。随深度增加,f_Fe-OC和δ13C_Fe-OC均未表现出显著变化,这与该海域沉积物中有机质活性较低、铁还原作用较弱有关。     

Interactions between sediment chemistry and frenulate pogonophores (Annelida) in the north-east Atlantic

The small frenulate pogonophores (Annelida: Pogonophora a.k.a. Siboglinidae) typically inhabit muddy sediments on the continental slope, although a few species occur near hydrothermal vents and cold seeps. We present data on the distribution and habitat characteristics of several species on the European continental shelf and slope from 48°N to 75°N and show how the animals interact with the chemistry of the sediments. The environments inhabited include: shallow (30 m), organic-rich, fjord sediments; slope sediments (1000–2200 m) and methane seeps at 330 m depth. All the species studied obtain nutrition from endosymbiotic bacteria. They take up reduced sulphur species, or in one case, methane, through the posterior parts of their tubes buried in the anoxic sediment. We conclude that most species undertake sulphide ‘mining’, a mechanism previously demonstrated in the bivalves Lucinoma borealis and Thyasira sarsi. These pogonophores participate in the sulphur cycle and effectively lower the sulphide content of the sediments. Our results show that the abundance of frenulate pogonophores increases with increasing sedimentation and with decreasing abundance of other benthos, particularly bioturbating organisms. The maximum sustainable carrying capacity of non-seep sediments for frenulate pogonophores is limited by the rate of sulphate reduction.     

琉球群岛以东海区沉积物重矿物分布及来源

琉球群岛东部海区沉积物中富含大量火山碎屑矿物、岛屿岩石遭受风化蚀变形成的普通角闪石以及水生的铁锰微结核,其重矿物种类、特征、组合分区等与火山作用、沉积环境、地形、物质来源等内外生因素密切相关。通过对本区重矿物的种类、特征及组合分区的研究,初步判断位于研究区北部、菲律宾板块向欧亚大陆俯冲而导致的正在活动的的琉球岛弧区为火山碎屑的主要源区,重矿物成分主要为水携成因来源,受同期火山作用控制;少量紫苏辉石来自先期形成的海岭或海底高原(如冲大东海岭、奄美海岭及九州海岭等)上的火山岩系,是经过剥蚀、搬运再沉积的产物;琉球群岛、九州等火山活动产物受海底高地等阻隔而在本区表现为向南或东南影响力逐渐减小;本区地质历史上的及正在进行的岩浆活动主要以基性及中性岩浆为主。此外,流经本区的黑潮对自生铁锰微结核的富集具有重要影响。